Lawyer on Air
Lawyer on Air is hosted by Catherine O'Connell and focuses on legal careers in Japan. It shares insights and personal stories about working in law as a woman in Japan. Episodes cover what hiring managers look for, emerging trends in the legal market, and how to earn a seat on a Japanese corporate board. The show also discusses how to thrive personally and professionally in Japan’s legal landscape.
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Following Curiosity Across Industries: Hiroko Ochi's In-House Legal Journey to Panasonic Energy
Hiroko Ochi is Section Manager of the Compliance Department at the Legal Center of Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd. In this episode, Catherine O'Connell, herself a former Panasonic alumna, traces Hiroko's remarkable journey across Ricoh, JCOM, Sumitomo Corporation, Persol Holdings, and now Panasonic Energy. Hiroko's career is one of relentless curiosity, systems thinking, and the deep belief
From Paralegal to Legal Department Manager with Sawako Kakutani
Sawako Kakutani is Corporate Secretarial Department Manager and Legal Department Manager at ASA Professionals Singapore, working remotely from Japan, and an attorney licensed in Washington State. She previously worked as Legal Department Manager at Hitachi Construction Machinery and does hybrid work between Singapore and Japan. We hear how Sawako decided that law would be a way she could possibly
Building a Legal Career in AI Ethics at Sony with Yoko Arisaka
Yoko Arisaka is General Manager of Sony Group's Legal Department and a key architect of Sony's AI ethics guidelines. Yoko shares her journey from Tokyo to New York, experiencing the World Financial Crisis there, and finding her niche at Sony, forging a deep interest in AI governance. You will be surprised at how Yoko looks to the past and outside of the law for hints on how to bring about
Simon Hollander on a Legal Career Built on Curiosity and Tips to Tackle AI Tools in the Market
Special guest, Simon Hollander is Senior Corporate Counsel at Amazon Web Services and supports Products and Security Legal across Asia Pacific as AWS's regulatory expert on cloud and AI. Simon shares his interesting career path and the women lawyers who influenced every pivotal career decision he ever made. We hear about the tools coming out of leading AI models, Simon's insights on brain
The Deep End Strategy: How Nancy Miyaji Chose High Risk, High Responsibility to Build her Legal Career
What do you do when a global financial crisis derails your carefully planned legal career before it even begins? Rather than hold out for the law firm role she wanted, Nancy Miyaji threw herself into the deep end and built her career anyway. With a superpower of bridging perspectives, Nancy's story is one of resilience, clarity of purpose that shows another successful pathway in law, whatever
Collect Your Edges: Sachiko Ichikawa’s career in law, finance and governance in Japan
What do you do when your first employer hands you a uniform and tells you to serve tea, despite having a law degree from Tokyo University? For Sachiko Ichikawa, the answer was to quit, pick up law again, and spend the next three decades collecting edges that no one else had. Now a founding member of BDTI (the Board Director Training Institute), a qualified lawyer and CPA, and a Business Lawyers Aw
Direction, Not Speed: A research fellowship in Japan, Motherhood and Redefining Legal Career Success with Dajeong Lee
Dajeong Lee is a partner specialising in dispute resolution and insolvency, currently in Japan as a research fellow at Waseda University. Dajeong's story is about the moments no one plans for. With wisdom drawn from jazz music, long-distance running, and the rhythm of daily life in Japan, Dajeong offers a refreshingly honest perspective on ambition, identity, and what it really means to keep
The Mosaic Career: How Chie Hashimoto Built a Patchwork of Skills into a Luxury Legal Leadership Role
Chie Hashimoto is Senior Legal Manager at Richemont Japan LLC, the luxury group behind Cartier, Montblanc, and more. In this episode full of Easter egg surprises, we hear about Chie's path, which was anything but linear. With reflections from Catherine woven throughout, this episode is as much a meditation on non-linear careers as it is a masterclass in legal leadership, cultural nuance, and t
Part 2: The CLO, the GC and Governance Beyond the Legal Function with Natsue Ishida
Part two of the conversation with Natsue Ishida dives into the intricacies of governance in Japan and how you can come across opportunities to do pro bono work that expand your area of expertise. Don’t miss the beautiful reading of a poem that has had a big impact on Natsue at the end of the episode. If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know y
Helping Japan Shine: The Personal Mission Driving Natsue Ishida’s Career in Law & Governance
Natsue Ishida shares her journey from sociology student to general counsel and executive officer advising boards, across many well known global companies. This is part one of a two part conversation filled with literal lightning moments, unconventional career choices, and profound leadership lessons. You will learn lessons from each stage of Natsue’s career and what it means to be an officer of th
Turning Blind Spots Into Advantages: How K. Lesli Ligorner Built Her Two Decade Legal Career in Japan and across Asia
Welcome to the premier of Season 12! K. Lesli Ligorner is a partner with Morgan Lewis and shares what it takes to build a successful legal career spanning two decades across China and Japan. We hear how Lesli has mastered the art of finding flexibility within rigid statutory frameworks while leading diverse teams across cultures. If you are wondering how you will lead a team in Japan in the future
No JD Required: Breaking Into Law Through Experience, the SQE and Sheer Determination with Mac Curtis
Macaulay (Mac) Curtis, is a New Zealand native who has just qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales through the new SQE pathway. He achieved this while working as a legal translator first for Mori Hamada & Matsumoto, then in his own legal translation company. This episode is full of gems for those who are considering taking another step forwards in their legal career. It’s now entirely p
Be the conductor of your own law career: Lessons in life, law and leadership with Keiko Uchida
What does it take to transform from a technical legal expert into a strategic conductor of organisational change? Keiko Uchida, Head of Legal and Compliance at Roche Diagnostics Japan, shares her journey to leadership from playing the figurative “violin in an orchestra” to becoming “the conductor.”Discover what it means to move from solving one case with 100 pieces of evidence to solving 100 quest
Shape Your Own Mold: How a Turkish Energy Lawyer Found Her Place in Japan with D. Didem Tari
What do you do when everyone tells you it's impossible? D. Didem Tari is a Turkish lawyer who refused to let jurisdiction, language barriers, or naysayers stop her from building a legal career in Japan. Now working as a legal advisor at Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), Didem shares her remarkable journey from 13 years in an Ankara boutique firm to finding her dream role in Tokyo. This is
Building Your Legal Career with Strategic Insights from Legal Recruiter Aida Wang
Aida Wang is a top-billing legal recruiter at Just Legal who specialises in private practice placements for bengoshi (Japan-qualified lawyers). With a unique background as a professional translator and interpreter between English and Mandarin Chinese, Aida brings a fresh perspective on bridging communication gaps - not just between languages, but between lawyers and law firms.Aida shares practical
Pushing Doors Open: Catherine O'Connell on Strategic Patience, Governance, and Giving Back
Guest Host Yoko Oshima leads this episode’s interview with host Catherine O’Connell as Lawyer on Air reaches the milestone of 5 years on air and 100 guests. Catherine shares her remarkable journey from a shy New Zealand teenager to an award-winning lawyer, podcast host, and board member at companies like Toyota and Fujitsu.You will hear about the pivotal moments that shaped her career, and why she
Don't Stop Believing: One Lawyer's Journey Through Loss, Grief, Leadership, and Gender Equity
"I thought you didn't want to be a partner" - Maya Ito heard these stunning words at a meeting to discuss her firm’s view that her lack of career progression at Big Four law firm Nishimura & Asahi, was simply because she had children. Plot spoiler: she's now a partner at that same firm, she’s leading cross-border project finance deals, and all the while, she’s running an almo
From Law as “Plan B” to Finding Peace: Embracing Ambiguity as a Global In-House Counsel in Japan with Liting Cong
Liting Cong is Legal Counsel at ASICS, one of Japan’s most successful sportswear companies. Liting shares her journey through the lens of Japanese aesthetics, particularly the concept of wabi-sabi or embracing imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. If you're considering an in-house career in Japan, curious about human-centric AI, or looking for wisdom on embracing life's uncertain
Small Team, Big Canvas: Taking the Golden Ticket to In-House Legal Counsel Success at Airbnb with Yu Watanabe
Yu Watanabe is General Counsel at Airbnb Japan, where he has spent over 10 years building one of the most respected in-house legal teams in the country. From training at Freshfields to navigating the world of tech startups at DeNA, and ultimately joining Airbnb, Yu's career embodies the power of taking calculated risks and listening to the right mentors. This episode is rich with wisdom about
The Unexpected Path to General Counsel: Sayaka Matsui on Curiosity, Mentorship and Unlearning Self Criticism
Sayaka Matsui is General Counsel and Representative Executive Officer at Unilever Japan. Sayaka shares how she unlearned something that she thought was helping her to do better. When she did that amazing things happened and she reached new career heights as well as achieving personal goals too. If you are wondering if your career path is “on track” or you are struggling with self criticism, this e
Choosing Fun over FOMO: Detouring from the senior associate track to draft new legislation for Japan with Midori Yamaguchi
Midori Yamaguchi is a Senior Associate at Mori Hamada & Matsumoto in Tokyo whose career spans Singapore, the US, and Japan. We hear about her two-year secondment to METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), where she was the only lawyer on the legislation drafting team where she helped create Japan's new pre-insolvency regime - literally dreaming about the law every night. If you'
The Power of Saying No: Building an international legal career on your own terms with Yoshie Midorikawa
Yoshie Midorikawa is an inspiring international dispute resolution lawyer and a Co-founding Partner at Miura & Partners who has built a remarkable career on her own terms. From initially refusing to use English to becoming a leading voice in cross-border litigation - using English -, Yoshie shares her unconventional journey with refreshing honesty and humour.Discover how this avid reader of de
Unlearning Fear: From Law to Launch - Mika Fukutomi’s Pivot & App for Japan’s Succession Crisis
What happens when a lawyer decides success isn't about climbing the ladder, but about creating freedom? Join Catherine as she talks with Mika Fukutomi, who traded her career at top-tier international law firms for entrepreneurship - and built an app to solve one of Japan's biggest business succession challenges: who will maintain the SMEs in Japan with aging leaders and no successors. If y
The Art of Not Comparing: A journey to partner at a top law firm in Japan with Akemi Suzuki
Akemi Suzuki is a corporate M&A partner at the Tokyo office of Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu. Akemi joins us for an honest conversation about career pivots, personal challenges, and finding your own path in the legal profession.From walking an hour to elementary school in rural Gunma to becoming a respected M&A and data privacy expert in Tokyo, Akemi shares the unexpected turns that shap
Go around the rocks: Be fluid like water for a successful legal career in Japan with Mina Hoshizawa
Meet Mina Hoshizawa, a dynamic in-house legal counsel who has built her career on adaptability and genuine connection. Now leading legal and compliance functions at Nihon Servier, she shares candid insights about unlearning perfectionism, embracing vulnerability as a leadership strength, and why being fluid like water has been her career superpower. If you are considering the transition to an in-h
Natural progression: From the legal world to the diplomatic world with Ambassador Garcia-Albano
Ambassador Mylene J. Garcia-Albano is the first female Philippine Ambassador to Japan and has carved a path from corporate law through politics to international diplomacy. Ambassador Garcia-Albano shares how her family's legal legacy, a pivotal pro bono case that led to a murder exoneration, and her philosophy of "doing your best in everything" propelled her through nine years in Con
From Competitor to Trailblazer: Olga Belosludova's Historic Japanese Bar Exam Journey
Meet Olga Belosludova, a trailblazing attorney who made history as the first Russian woman to pass the notoriously difficult Japanese bar exam. Born in Siberia, she came to Japan with her family at age two. Olga's journey from a competitive childhood dream to becoming a qualified lawyer in three jurisdictions is nothing short of extraordinary. Her story offers invaluable insights into navigating J
Raising your hand and embracing opportunity: Yoko Oshima’s blueprint for global legal leadership success
Yoko Oshima is Associate General Counsel of Corporate, External and Legal Affairs at Microsoft Japan. In this inspiring episode that spans continents, cultures, and cutting-edge technology, Yoko's journey is a masterclass in authentic leadership, purposeful career building, embracing opportunity and seeking support. Yoko shares powerful insights on adaptive leadership, the importance of being
Leadership and Law: Alexander Dmitrenko's Path to Managing Partner and Advice for New Lawyers
Alexander Dmitrenko is the Managing Partner of Ashurst’s Tokyo office and a dear friend Catherine has been wanting to introduce to the Lawyer on Air listeners. Get ready to hear how you can be successful in Japan and being a good person is on top of the list. If you are wondering about the culture and lifestyle of working at a firm such as Ashurst, make sure you catch this episode. If you enjoyed
Challenging Norms: Courage and Career Reinvention in Japan with Tomoko Nakajima
Tomoko Nakajima is not just any partner at Freshfields, she is an absolute trailblazer in the legal profession in Japan. You will hear how Tomoko tutored herself to pass the bar without attending law school and overcame deeply entrenched Japanese cultural “norms” with her courage and willingness to speak up and ask questions. Tomoko shares what it was like to be part of the historical Kansai Airpo
Journey to the Boardroom: Ayako Shotoku's Path in Panasonic
Ayako Shotoku, Group General Counsel and Chief Risk Management Officer at Panasonic, shares her journey detailing her unexpected pivot from an international marketing role to go on to become the head of Panasonic's legal team and also an Executive officer and board member. Ayako opens up about her early career, including her decisive transition into law, the influence of mentors, and the impo
Unpausable: The Impact of 100 Episodes of Lawyer on Air
In this solo episode marking the final installment of Season 9, Catherine reflects on the growth and significant impact of 'The Lawyer on Air Podcast' over nearly 100 episodes. Catherine shares heartfelt stories about how the podcast has positively influenced her life and the lives of listeners and guests worldwide. To celebrate this milestone, Catherine unveils a special surprise at the end. Join
Infusing the Art of Tea, Languages and Law for a Successful Career in Japan with Naoko Tahara
Naoko Tahara is Senior Manager of Legal Japan at Olympus Corporation. As a new recruit to a law firm, she took the chance to study Chinese intensively when some of her cohort said she shouldn’t. Listen to hear what happened next in this fascinating career dive with Naoko. If you are wondering if the challenging opportunity that has landed at your feet is really for you, then this is the episode fo
Bridging Cultures in Insurance Law between Australia and Japan with Shiho Kagasaki
Shiho Kagasaki is an Associate at MinterEllison based in Australia. We hear from Shiho why she loves working in the law so much and how her recent passion for ballet contributes to her pursuit of grace and poise in her work life, too. If you are also an up and coming associate wanting to hear from a sempai (more experienced co-worker) then this is the episode for you. If you enjoyed this episode a
Breaking Through the Trifecta: Empowering Young, Female, Asian Lawyers in Arbitration with Earl Rivera-Dolera
Earl Rivera-Dolera is an accomplished arbitrator with extensive experience in Singapore, Vietnam and Japan. Earl shares her transition from a tribunal law clerk to becoming a prominent figure in international arbitration, the valuable lessons from her mentors, and her advice for those aspiring to enter the field. Arbitration is gathering steam in Japan so this episode is a wonderful fountain of kn
From sales to a legal career at Amazon Japan with Michiko Hirai
Do you really need law firm experience to have a great legal career in Japan? Let’s hear another diverse story, this time from Michiko Hirai, senior corporate counsel at Amazon Web Services Japan. Discover her untraditional journey from sales in the semiconductor industry to law and how she uses her experience in building business relationships to be a stand out member of her team.
If you enjoye
Engineering Serendipity: Shinsuke Kaneko on Technology and Law
Catherine speaks with special guest, Shinsuke Kaneko, about his diverse career path from working as an associate at Morrison & Foerster, experiencing the start-up world and becoming a solo practitioner at his own firm, Verse. Shinsuke shares a pivotal early career challenge and how a moment of courage helped him unlock opportunities. If you are feeling like technology is getting away from you
Leaning into your legal career in Japan with Emi Takeda
Emi Takeda is General Counsel for Japan at Accenture. It was a pleasant surprise to hear about Emi’s passion for sake and wine as well as the law, and how she managed to overcome the culture shock of acclimatising to big city life upon arriving at Tokyo University, having come from being a student from Fuji City. If you are wondering what it’s like to lead a team of over 100 lawyers, like Emi does
Supercharge Your Lawyer Life for 2025 through Executive Coaching with Celina Lee
Celina Lee shares insights from her journey as a lawyer, writer, podcast host, and executive coach. She discusses the importance of working with an executive coach to gain clarity, reframe past experiences, shoo away the naysayers and stay accountable. This episode is a great way to see out 2024, take stock of what you have achieved so far, and start dreaming about 2025 and the changes you might m
AI and the Law: Insights from Tomoka Miho at IBM
Tomoka Miho is an AI ethics expert and award-winning lawyer at IBM Japan. From her education in the UK to becoming a legal counsel, Tomoka shares her career journey, her thoughts on AI's impact on the legal profession. If you are wondering how you can be at the forefront of the new wave of generative AI or name and claim an area of specialty in this area then this is the episode for you.
If you e
Renew and Reimagine: Setting the Stage for 2025 with Catherine and guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewett (Part 3 of 3)
This is Part 3 of 3, you can find Part 1 and Part 2 here.
In this special session of the Lawyer on Air podcast, guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewett, an attorney based in Atlanta, Georgia, interviews Catherine O'Connell about her path to becoming a successful board member in Japanese corporations.
If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your bigg
Advice for aspiring board members at every level of their legal career with Catherine and guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewett (Part 2 of 3)
This is Part 2 of 3, you can find Part 1 here.
In this special session of the Lawyer on Air podcast, guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewett, an attorney based in Atlanta, Georgia, interviews Catherine O'Connell about her path to becoming a successful board member in Japanese corporations.
If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it and know your biggest takeawa
A Pathway to Board Success: Catherine's insights on leadership with guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewett (Part 1 of 3)
In this special session of the Lawyer on Air podcast, guest host Akiyo Inoko Hewitt, an attorney based in Atlanta, Georgia, interviews Catherine O'Connell about her path to becoming a successful board member in Japanese corporations. This is Part 1 of 3 where Akiyo asks all the questions you have been wanting to know.
Akiyo bravely reached out to Catherine to ask her for this opportunity that wou
Advocacy and Empowerment: Shining a light on family law and gender violence in Japan with Yumi Itakura
Yumi Itakura is a feminist theorist and practicing lawyer who runs the Sakura International Law Office in Japan. The conversation delves into Yumi's extensive work on addressing gender violence, workplace discrimination, and sexual harassment, especially for foreign women. We are so fortunate to have Yumi working on these issues to support families and women in particular. If you are wondering wha
Creating your own path and embracing authenticity in the law and in governance with Ako Shimada
Ako Shimada is the Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary of Ushio America Inc. Ako also serves as General Counsel for Ushio Europe BV and is an independent director for Fujitech. She shares her story of embracing her Japanese heritage and transforming her career. The discussion covers her journey from growing up in Japan to pursuing law in the U.S., her experiences in litigation
Continuous Learning and Adaptability: Keys to Success in the law in Japan with Yuko Kaneko
Yuko Kaneko is Director and Corporate Counsel of the Business Legal Department at Renesas Electronic Corporation. Yuko discusses her career journey, starting as an attorney at Nishimura Asahi before transitioning to in-house roles. A career can span many years and so we discuss career longevity, the importance of continuous learning, and balancing professional and personal life. If you are looking
Crafting successful legal careers in Japan with top recruiter Yuna Yoshimasa
Considering a career change or moving to a different area of practice in your legal career? Perhaps you are considering the big leap to Japan from overseas? Yuna Yoshimasa, a legal recruiter at Just Legal in Tokyo, specialising in healthcare and life sciences gives us the latest information so you can think about new opportunities. The episode also covers the recruitment process, trends, and tips
The hard work of “effortless success” in your law career in Japan with Bonnie Kong
Bonnie Kong is a partner at Anderson, Mori & Tomotsune in Tokyo. Bonnie shares how she came to be working in law and how an interest in Japan set her on a course over 10 years of visiting, learning the language, working on deals with Japan overseas and then finally moving to live in Japan. We discuss the importance of continuous learning, cultural understanding across generations, and communit
Breaking Boundaries: Miyako Ikuta on Patience, Perseverance, and Becoming a Global Lawyer
Miyako Ikuta is a partner at Kitahama Partners in Tokyo registered to practice in France, New York, and Japan. Miyako shares her journey across multiple countries and legal systems and discusses her diverse roles, including serving as an auditor and outside director. and shares valuable tips for preparing for board roles. Additionally, she delves into her passion for privacy and data law, her exp
Navigating Maritime Law: A Journey around the world to Japan with Gillian Musgrave
Gillian Musgrave is a seasoned lawyer with a rich background in maritime law and marine insurance. Gillian shares her journey from qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales to working internationally in London, Italy, New York, Singapore, and now as an in-house consultant in Tokyo. We go on a voyage of discovery into the depths of a truly fascinating and not so well known area of the law. Gra
Leading with Empathy: Toshimi Itakura's vision for a thriving legal team
If you are at a crossroads and wondering if you should give up on that dream that hasn’t come true yet, then this is the episode for you. Toshimi Itakura is the General Manager of the Legal Department at Sojitz Corporation. Toshimi shares her inspiring career journey over more than 20 years and her professional experiences in the United States and London. Toshimi discusses her approach to career g
Becoming the heroine of your journey: From assistant's assistant to legal powerhouse - Seizing opportunities and overcoming challenges with Hiroko Miyazaki
Hiroko Miyazaki is a legal luminary who has made her mark across various prestigious roles in Japan's corporate legal landscape. From her modest beginnings as a part-time law firm assistant to her ascent to Managing Director at 3M Japan, Hiroko's journey is a testament to the power of resilience and growth mindset. She opens up about her strategies for overcoming failure, the value of prio
A blue ocean journey as in-house counsel and legal pioneer in Japan with Akiko Kawaguchi
Dive into the inspiring journey of Akiko Kawaguchi, a true pioneer in the Japanese legal world. Akiko shares her groundbreaking path of becoming the first Japanese qualified lawyer at Mitsubishi Corporation. In this episode, Akiko reflects on the historical events that shaped her pursuit of justice and logic, her courageous leap into the blue ocean of in-house counsel, and her belief in the transf
Small Seasons, Big Impact: Building a legal practice that you love in Japan with Saki Nakahara
Saki Nakahara joins us to share her story of finding her way to starting her own practice in the perfect area for her. We hear about how she spent a lot of time on the qualification she thought she should achieve because it was more difficult. However that experience then went on to become part of a strong foundation for her true calling. If you are wondering how starting your own firm could be a
Embracing change in law: Olga V. Mack's insights on technology, personal branding & thought leadership
I am thrilled to welcome Olga V. Mack, a renowned contributor to thought leadership on law and tech to the Lawyer on Air podcast. Olga takes us on a captivating journey, sharing her experiences from integrating art, science, and law to her impactful presence on LinkedIn and the evolution of her own podcast, "Notes to My Legal Self." Join us as we delve into her alternative to mentorship,
Making Partner in a Big Four Japanese Law Firm with Madoka Shimada
Madoka Shimada is Partner at Nishimura and Asahi, one of the “Big Four” law firms in Japan. You might have heard some things about what it’s like to work there but Madoka shares some of the innovations and how she has carved out a unique career for herself with her interesting combination of qualifications.
If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d love to hear about it an
Bridging Borders: The Diplomatic Lawyer in Japan with Kaori Oka
From her early days of wanting to be a diplomat and instead becoming a lawyer, Kaori Oka is now the diplomatic founder of Oka Fortuna Law, a law firm based in Tokyo. We follow Kaori’s exciting career path and see how time and time again she created and asked for opportunities to have the experiences she wanted not only in her career but also in her life. Kaori will surprise you with some fantastic
Exploring Legal Ops in Japan: An inspiring career path in law and tech with Vivien Clancy
Vivien Clancy has a wealth of experience in the legal operations space which she brings to her current position in the Tokyo office of Herbert Smith Freehills. Vivien’s adventures and zest for life have all contributed to her fascinating career experiences. It goes to show that all experiences lead you to that next iteration of your career. If you are considering a legal operations role and wonder
Working in-house and at a law firm concurrently in Japan with Yuka Yamada
Yuka Yamada has taken on an exciting adjacent working path in addition to being General Counsel, Head of Legal and Compliance at Mercedez-Benz Finance Japan, she is also Counsel at GI&T Law Firm. This is really an unusual opportunity and yet another way to do law differently. We are thrilled to bring you this episode to hear more about how Yuka is able to do this and what has been her career p
Using your law degree without being a lawyer at top companies in Japan with Tomoko Konishi
If you have finished your law degree but are not sure if you want to work as a “lawyer”, you might consider going to an in-house role such as Tomoko Konishi has done. Tomoko has had a truly varied career so far and is now working in corporate governance. With a law degree you really are able to serve society from all kinds of angles, this time Tomoko is doing it her own way, listen to hear more!
I
Mari Hiraizumi: Redefining corporate legal leadership and board membership in global corporations
Mari Hiraizumi is a trailblazer in Japan. Not only is she the General Counsel and Executive Director for her organisation, but has been able to take on another external board role at the same time. This is truly groundbreaking with this trio of roles! If you are an in-house legal counsel and you are aiming for a board role at another company and wondering how to do that, then this is the episode f
Thriving in law in the Japanese eDiscovery industry with Anitha Henderson
Anitha Henderson is an eDiscovery attorney in Japan. Anitha shares her journey from studying law to navigating a fulfilling career that intertwines with her passion for Japanese language and culture. From her experiences in the JET program to her love for communication in Japanese, Anitha's story is one of perseverance, adaptability, and embracing imperfection in the legal profession. Join us
Behind the scenes of mergers and acquisitions: Perspectives of an M&A Lawyer in Japan with Kotoe Oshima
Kotoe Oshima is an M&A associate at Shearman and Sterling's Tokyo office. Kotoe shares her international background and passion for advising Japanese companies on complex global transactions. Join us as Kotoe discusses the positive nature of Japanese companies, the importance of women in business, and her own journey of finding purpose in her work. Kotoe also turns the microphone on Cather
Navigating remote international work and work-life balance challenges with Sawako Ohgi
Sawako Ohgi is the General Manager in the Strategic Legal Unit at JERA Co. From living overseas in a variety of countries as a child to managing a team remotely from the UK, Sawako's story is one of resilience, leadership, and determination. Join us as we delve into Sawako's in-house career path, her advice for in-house counsels, and her passion for balancing work and personal life.
If yo
Driving change in diversity and inclusion in Japan through ESG: Insights from Louisa Gawa
Louisa Gawa shares her journey to be working in ESG and compliance in Japan. She also opens up about her personal journey of developing a stutter as a teenager and how she was able to overcome it. You might be surprised by what she learnt from this life challenge and how it has become part of her success story. Tune in to hear her inspirational stories and learn practical tips for excelling in DEI
Creating fairness in the legal landscape of an organisation: Insights from Kenji Tagaya
Kenji Tagaya joins Lawyer on Air as a very welcome male guest, fan of the show and ally of women working in the law in Japan. Kenji is General Counsel at Jera and shares his own lived experience of being a minority and how he uses that experience to help empower others. In addition to his career, Kenji is very active in volunteer activities and we hear about how he asks if he can join in and help
The journey of Akiko Kikuchi: From private practice to leading an award-winning legal team
Akiko Kikuchi is a skilled general counsel with over two decades of experience in the legal industry. In this episode, we delve into the challenges of creating a career at a time when it was unusual to hire university graduate women in Japan. Akiko shares the benefits of building a strong team and how to get through the career challenges that might crop up for a general counsel. Get ready to be in
The power of listening: Insights from Sayaka Ohashi, Lawyer and Advocate
Sayaka Ohashi, a legal counsel specialising in employment law, shares how her experience of raising three children and listening to what they have to say, has greatly improved her practice in employment law. She also encourages male lawyers to embrace child-rearing as it can make them better professionals. Her reasons are a little different from what you might be thinking (you will need to listen
Creating a career in cross culture communication and the IP legal industry in Japan
Catherine interviews Yasuko Tanaka, a patent attorney, IP business consultant and founder of her own firm S-Cube Corporation. Yasuko shares how her own learning through lived experience of cross cultural communication in IP have led her to become a leader in this field in Japan. We explore her advice for people considering starting their own firm and discuss the growing popularity of IP law in Jap
From briefs to boardrooms: How lawyers can climb the corporate ladder in Japan with Alkis Kotzampasis
Catherine invites legal recruiter Alkis Kotzampasis back to the podcast, to share his insights from his new position as Principal of Page Executive at Michael Page. They delve into the most effective ways to work with a recruiter and what to prepare for those interviews as well as the trends that are now affecting the market in Japan. This is must-know information for anyone wanting to take on a n
Embracing career challenges and enjoying the journey with Aya Saito
In this episode, Aya Saito, shares her journey from a kind of identity crisis to finding her style and authentic self in a unique role. Her career challenges became accomplishments that she even enjoyed! I’ve not heard of any guest so far in six seasons refer to their challenges in this way. Through the power of conversation, Aya uncovers these gems even though she didn’t know they were there! Joi
Always go for the best: Taking legal career opportunities head on with Naoko Matsuzaki
Naoko Matsuzaki, a Managing Director at KPMG, shares her reflections on defining moments in her career, including how working with clients and colleagues can lead to offers to take up amazing study and job opportunities. Naoko has come across many challenges in her career, not to mention trying to start her career in the “hiring ice age”! But she always found a way. This is an inspirational story
Self branding through kindness and thoughtfulness for your successful career in law with Akiyo Inoko Hewett
You are going to love this episode featuring one of the biggest fans of Lawyer on Air and a successful lawyer in her own right, Akiyo Inoko Hewett. Akiyo got my attention with her thoughtful and insightful post on LinkedIn; little did I know that she was a big LOA fan! In addition to being an avid listener, she has forged a career for herself as a bilingual international lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia
Grab opportunities in your legal career or create them yourself with Asako Ouchi
Asako Ouchi takes us on an amazing journey through her career so far - you will need to hold onto your seat for this one! Tokyo, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, Asako created opportunities for herself to get what she wanted from her career and she did not let her circumstances get in the way of at least asking. Often this approach turned into an opportunity, so I highly recommend listening to this partic
Looking for a board role? Lifting the lid on the black box of board roles in Japan with Catherine O’Connell
Catherine O’Connell has the microphone spotlight switched on her in this episode. Hear more about what it has been like for Catherine has taken to get herself to where she is today on the Independent Audit & Statutory Board of Fujitsu and nominated as Independent Audit and Supervisory Board Member at Toyota Motor Corporation. Catherine shares how her “unglamourous” work experience as a lawyer
From pharmacology to international patent lawyer in Japan with Mami Hino
Mami Hino was enjoying her career in pharmaceuticals until it was made clear that she would need to leave the company after marrying someone from the same industry but a different company. This set Mami on a path to retrain as a patent lawyer, learn English to be able to study in the US to get to where she is today. It’s an astounding story of turning unfortunate circumstances into opportunities.
Balancing career and sporting achievements with Tomo Greer Foreign Associate and Ironman Triathlete
Today’s episode carries a content warning for sexual harassment. We don’t go into detail, but if this is a difficult topic for you, please skip minutes 31 to 35 of the episode.
Tomo Greer wanted to be a professional athlete but came to find her way as both a lawyer and an athlete. It turns out you can do both! Tomo’s story of finding her way to becoming an Ironman competitor as well as a busy asso
Japan qualified or foreign qualified lawyer? Yui Ota-Barclay shares her experience
Becoming a “Bengoshi” (Japan qualified lawyer), did not suit Yui Ota-Barclay so she took a chance to become a foreign qualified lawyer instead. In this episode, Yui shares her unique path to becoming an associate at Norton Rose Fulbright based in Tokyo. This is another diverse story of how things can work out for you even though it might not be on that 5 year plan you had in mind.
In this episod
Civil and common law international arbitration in action in Japan with Carlotta Bruessel
Carlotta Bruessel brings her fascinating experience of qualifying in both civil law and common law to Japan in the area of international arbitration. This is a story of an unusual career path in the law which is so important to hear. Carlotta is also passionate about connections and collaborations so it is exciting to see her idea to form a club to help bring young arbitrators in Japan together to
Pivot to unlock your career potential with Andrea Sanada Ng
We are thrilled to bring you Andrea Sanada Ng to share her unique story of becoming a lawyer and finding her own way to a happy career after pivots and turns. We don’t always have the perfect conditions or information when making choices about our careers but Andrea shows us that things can work out, even when you think they won’t.
If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, we’d
